Smile
by snowwflight
Summary: Soo-Won had died with a smile. Hak wasn't sure if he could ever truly smile again. /oneshot


For as long as Hak remembered, Soo-Won was always smiling.

When Soo-Won needed something from castle attendants, he asked for it with a polite smile so bright and charming that it made it impossible to refuse any request he made. When he needed information from Ogi and the information brokers in Kuuto, he asked for it with the warm smile of a man who asked information not as a client, but as an old friend. When he spoke with his enemies, he did so with a deceivingly amiable smile that hid his true strength.

How was he always smiling?

It was something that amazed Hak. How could somebody constantly express happiness, no matter the circumstances?

 _Why_ was he always smiling? Did Soo-Won just like to take advantage of the charm and power that his smile carried? Did he have something to hide behind that expression?

Why did he smile?

And why was Soo-Won still smiling, even now?

Even as blood was rapidly soaking his robe from the place where Hak's blade thrust into his abdomen. Even as he let out a gasping cough, arms shaking as he dropped his sword, red trailing down his chin as he coughed out blood.

 _Why?_

Hak watched the man whom he'd grown to hate crumple to the ground. He watched the blood of the man he lived to kill glisten on his blade. He watched the man who ruined both his and Yona's life lay on the ground, unmoving.

And then Hak watched as his own body moved by itself. He dropped his weapon, the harsh clang of it hitting the ground just a dull echo in the storm that was his mind. He watched himself take slow, trudging steps towards Soo-Won.

Then Hak dropped to his knees in front of him. He brought his shaking hands to his face.

"Hak."

 _No._ Hak's jaw clenched. He kept his hands over his eyes, but he wished he could cover his ears. He didn't want to hear that voice saying his name like that. The friendly, cheerful _"Hak"_ that _that person_ called him by. _That person_ was gone—dead to Hak, killed by the man who murdered Yona's father.

"I..."

 _What?_ Hak wanted to scream. _You what? You're sorry?_

"I..." A weak, shaking laugh came from Soo-Won. "You're not going to make me spend my final moments talking to myself, are you?"

Hak wished he could. But then he lowered his hands, and he realized why he'd covered his face with them in the first place. The moment his hands left his face, a wet line of sorrow trailed down his cheek. Slowly, every moment of the action piercing his chest with an indescribable pain, Hak lowered his head to stare at Soo-Won.

Soo-Won was collapsed on his side, panting as blood soaked into the ground from his wound. But when he met Hak's gaze, he smiled.

He smiled, and then for a moment, Hak was in front of his best friend again. The best friend whom he admired and respected. The best friend who was witty and kind and followed Hak around. The best friend who—

Hak punched the ground, ignoring the pain that shot through his knuckles. That _best friend_ was gone. Hak forced himself to stare at Soo-Won, the man who murdered King Il and tried to kill Yona.

Soo-Won slightly winced, his gaze drifting towards Hak's bloody fist.

Hak opened his mouth, but nothing came out. But what was he going to say anyway? Hak imagined facing Soo-Won a thousand times, but he never thought of what he would say.

"Why?" Hak finally said, his voice a low growl. _"Why?"_

Soo-Won's eyes filled with understanding, as if he'd been expecting the question. "Hak, this was the path I chose. I did what had to be done for the kingdom—"

"No," Hak muttered. "Not that."

Soo-Won blinked.

Hak took a deep breath, keeping his gaze fixed on Soo-Won. "Why did you smile?"

"Smile?"

"When I stabbed you."

Soo-Won paused before letting out a weak chuckle. "I'm not sure why." Then he took in a shuddering gasp, clutching his stomach, before continuing. "I think... I think I just wanted to let you know that I'm fine. I'm fine with my end being caused by you."

Hak didn't say anything. What _could_ he say to this?

"I... always hoped that if anyone were to kill me, it would be you." Each of his breaths were becoming shallower than the previous. "Just... take care of Yona, okay? Although I know that that's what you've been doing this entire time." Then he smiled once more. This smile was different. It wasn't friendly or charming or deceiving at all. It was just... accepting. Accepting, and sorrowful.

"Thank you." Soo-Won closed his eyes, and then he stopped moving.

 _Why?_

Hak knelt there, staring at Soo-Won's unmoving body, questions pounding through his head.

 _Why?_

 _Why did you have to smile?_

 _Why did you have to talk to me like we were the friends we used to be?_

He hated it. He hated how Soo-Won was fine with this, but all Hak could feel right now was a horrible feeling of loss. All his rageful bloodlust towards Soo-Won had evaporated along with Soo-Won's life, leaving behind nothing but a cold, throbbing sorrow.

 _Why did you have to make me feel this way?_

Soo-Won had died with a smile. Hak wasn't sure if he could ever truly smile again.

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 **Author's note**

Based off of a prompt my friend gave me: "Hak kills Soo-Won but it's very sad and angsty" so here it is! I tried my best to represent Hak and Soo-Won's relationship as accurately as possible, because I realized that it's actually so much more complex than it seemed to me at first. Any reviews would mean a lot to me, and I hope you enjoyed the angst!


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